‘Destiny of our OFWS not in China’s hands’

Chinese officials are against the move to upgrade the enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement between the Philippines and the Us because they see this as an American ploy to encircle and contain China through its military alliance with the Philippines. Beijing is also strongly opposed to the Philippines conducting joint patrols with allies in the West Philippine sea, which are meant to send a clear message to the China that it needs to stop once and for all its bullying in the contested areas.

Manila and Washington signed EDCA in 2014 to strengthen their alliance to better meet shared challenges. The pact was meant to help address growing Chinese aggression in the South China Sea and natural disasters in the Philippines, which are projected to become more frequent and more destructive with a changing climate.

The agreement seeks to ensure that both sides can meet their obligations under the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty to “maintain and develop their individual and collective capacity to resist armed attack”. The only country threatening armed attack against the Philippines in the disputed waters of the South China Sea is China. The shared perception of a Chinese threat to Philippine interests in the South China Sea is clearly at the core of the agreement. China had seized control of Scarborough Shoal from the Philippines, prompting the Philippine government to file its landmark case against Beijing’s claims before a tribunal at The Hague.

The Hague-based decision, constituted under the UNCLOS, ruled that China’s claim of historic rights to resources in areas falling within an invisible demarcation “had no basis in law and is without legal effect”. It also upheld the Philippines’s sovereign rights and jurisdiction in its exclusive economic zone.

Article 1 of the pact says that EDCA will focus on improving interoperability… and for the Armed Forces of the Philippines addressing short-term capabilities gaps, promoting long-term modernization, and helping maintain and develop additional maritime security, maritime domain awareness, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief capabilities.

The Department of National Defense on Saturday defended the country’s Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement with the United States, as it expressed concern on the remarks of Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian against the Filipino workers in Taiwan. Huang earlier said Beijing “reserves the option of taking all necessary measures” should things escalate in the Taiwan Strait, just as it advised Manila to oppose “Taiwan independence” if it really cares about the 150,000 overseas Filipino workers there.

Defense spokesperson Arsenio Andolong said the country is not “meddling in the internal affairs of China concerning Taiwan,” and even described this as the ambassador’s “illusion”.

A labor group called on China to use “peaceful and diplomatic” means instead of resorting to “veiled threats” to resolve its issue with Taiwan. The Federation of Free Workers issued the statement after Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian said in a forum that granting the United States access to the country’s military camps could compromise the safety of about 150,000 overseas Filipino workers in Taiwan.

“The Philippines is advised to unequivocally oppose ‘Taiwan independence’ rather than stoking the fire by offering the US access to the military bases near the Taiwan Strait if you care genuinely about the 150,000 OFWS,” Huang said at a forum hosted by a group of Filipino and Chinese businessmen and academics. (Read, “Labor to envoy: Don’t drag OFWS into row over Taiwan,” in the Businessmirror, April 17, 2023)

Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros said: “Our OFWS in Taiwan will continue to work where they work. End of story. Filipinos will thrive and make a living according to our wishes. We will never let Beijing decide on the future of Filipino families. Their destiny is not in China’s hands.”

President Marcos said he wants to meet with the Chinese ambassador soon to seek clarification over the diplomat's controversial remark about the safety of overseas Filipino workers in Taiwan. "I’ll be talking to the Ambassador soon. And I’m sure he will be very anxious to give his own interpretation of what he was trying to say," the President said, adding that the envoy may have simply not been able to completely translate what he meant in English.

"English is not his first language but I’m very interested to know what it is that he meant," Marcos said. "I interpret it as him trying to say that the Philippines should not intensify the tensions because it will impact badly on the Filipinos in Taiwan."